For over a decade, Burning Bridget Cleary was a popular act on the Celtic and folk music circuits.

Bandleader, Rose Baldino, drove this band with an unusual combination of charisma, crackerjack fiddle work, and tightly woven harmonies. The front of the band was shared with some of the best Celtic fiddle talent on the East Coast, namely:

2006-2011: Genevieve Gillespie, fiddle/vocals

2012 – 2014: Deirdre Lockman, fiddle/vocals

2014 – 2016: Amy Beshara, fiddle/vocals

The driving rhythm and bass end was supplied by Lou Baldino on guitar and Peter Trezzi on percussion.

Known for their captivating sound and engaging stage presence, Burning Bridget Cleary earned a solid reputation for presenting high-spirited Celtic music at festivals, concerts, and music series all over the U.S., including two tours to Ireland.

While in Ireland, the band had a unique opportunity to visit the rural County Tipperary cottage of their namesake, Bridget Cleary, who is remembered as "the last witch burned in Ireland".

For 12 years, Burning Bridget Cleary performed and recorded five full-length CD’s of upbeat Celtic traditional and folk music. The band broke new ground in 2013 when their fourth CD, “Pressed for Time,” hit #1 on the Roots Music Folk and Roots Charts. Their second release, “Everything is Alright”, was awarded “2009 Album of the Year” by CelticRadio.net in Boston.

“These Are the Days”, their fifth full-length album, was the #1 Album on the January 2016 Folk-DJ Charts, with the lead track, “Madam I’m a Darling”, taking the #2 Top Song spot for 2016.

BBC’s music has been featured on hundreds of radio programs worldwide, including syndicated programs, Thistle and Shamrock, FolkScene, SingOut Radio, and The Midnight Special.

WXPN Live Interview/performances on Gene Shay’s Folk Show (7 appearances)

Rose Baldino - Fiddle, vocals, banjo

Rose at the Celtic Fling 2016

Rose was drawn to Celtic culture at an early age, asking her parents to drive her to every Irish and Celtic festival for miles around. Following her early years of classical training, at age thirteen she delved full-time into the Celtic fiddle style; beginning with a teacher just 1 1/2 years her senior, fiddler extraordinaire, Deirdre Lockman of the Lockman Family Musicians and Dancers. Thanks to fate, in 2012 Deirdre joined with Burning Bridget Cleary and spent two years with the band.

Concurrently, Rose began attending traditional Irish music sessions and studied with many internationally known artists at Celtic summer music camps in Asheville, NC, Milwaukee, WI and with Brendan Callahan at the Irish Center in Mt. Airy, PA.

For four years as a young teen, she played with the Itinerant Fiddlers at the Goschenhoppen Folk Festival in northern Montgomery County, PA. As part of a father-daughter duo, she and dad, Lou, provided musical entertainment for Civil War balls, living history events, local clubs, community, private and business venues in PA and DE for several years before the advent of "BBC".

Rose graduated from Temple University with a bachelor's degree in communications and went on to earn a Master's in Counseling Psychology from Arcadia University. She teaches violin and fiddle lessons to students of all ages and spent two years working as an intern for the Philadelphia Folksong Society.

Rose now performs, writes and records music with her husband, Brian Buchanan of Enter the Haggis. Their band is called House of Hamill.

Amy Beshara - Featured Guest Artist

Amy Beshara woke up one morning when she was 10 years old and decided she wanted to play classical viola. She went on to study at Manhattan School of Music as a scholarship student, and Trinity College of Music, London. While undertaking university studies in linguistics and language acquisition Amy discovered Celtic music and never looked back.

Proficient in both Irish and Scottish fiddle styles, Amy is regular member of the Iona Scottish Session in Brooklyn. A dedicated teacher, Amy has a busy teaching studio with almost 40 private students and is certified in Music Together, the O'Connor method, the Suzuki method, and is working towards completing her certificate in Dalcroze Eurhythmics. She lives in the north Jersey/NYC area and has three cats.

As of 2018, Amy has formed a contradance band in the NY area called Jigaplex.

Lou Baldino - Guitar, vocals

Lou at Rockwood Music Hall (Photo by Leonardo Mascaro)

Lou, a veteran in the music business, had a guitar in his hands at age 5 and began playing professionally at age 12. Throughout the 60's, 70's and 80's, he traveled and recorded with a variety of bands - including 3 years of travel with the famous Platters, as part of their backup band. Lou spent a good part of the 80's playing with the Michael Carney Orchestras out of NYC. With this orchestra, he had the honor of performing in Washington D.C., for the inauguration of President George H. W. Bush in 1988. Lou began backing up Rose's fiddle playing in 2002 and soon became immersed in a love for Celtic music. The rest is history.

Peter Trezzi - Percussion

Pete at Rockwood Music Hall (Photo by Leonardo Mascaro)

Peter grew up in a musical family and started drumming at the age of five in his hometown, Toronto, Ontario. Since moving to the U.S. in 2002 to follow his musical dream, Peter has become an in-demand session and recording drummer. Credits include recording with artists Commander Cody, Dan May, and Sharon Little, and opening concerts for artists including Bob Schneider, Susan Vega, Sergio Mendez, and Crystal Gayle.

Pete played, toured, and recorded with Burning Bridget Cleary from 2008 until 2017. Highlights included the Bethlehem Musikfest, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Celtic Classic, and the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival.

Pete continues to perform with other recording and touring bands in the extended tri-state area. He can be contacted through his Facebook page.

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"The talk of the weekend... "

"This is trad music at it’s best, alive, vibrant and lyrical. Don’t miss seeing this band if you’re given the chance and until you can, pick up a copy of their independently produced CDs and listen to the future of trad."
-Jack Baker, "The Irish American News"